Call for inquiry after two Barrett Centre suicides

Tony Moore

The family of an 18-year-old woman released after spending three years with 24 hour a day care at the Barrett Adolescent Centre at Wacol wants an urgent public inquiry into the reasons she committed suicide.

The two final patients to leave the former Barratt Adolescent Psychiatric Centre at Wacol when the state government closed it in January have since committed suicide.

Now the family of 18-year-old woman named Talieha wants a public inquiry into the state government’s decision to close the Barrett Centre in January 2014 without providing a replacement adolescent mental health facility.

Talieha – an “arty, expressive wonderful girl” - unsuccessfully tried to take her own life on April 1, before her life support was shut down on April 6.

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She had turned 18 on February 6. She died two months after her 18th birthday. Talieha suffered depression, post-traumatic stress and she self-harmed.

At her funeral, family and friends released purple balloons.

A second former patient – a “funny-quieter” 18-year-old boy - from the final 10 at the Barrett Centre committed suicide at Wacol in June.

The issue of closing the Barrett Adolescent Centre without a replacement facility will be raised by Labor in the Queensland’s Budget Estimates Hearings beginning today.

The state government rejects Labor’s policy to build a replacement for the Barrett Centre.

A spokesman for Health Minister Lawrence Springborg insisted mental health clinicians tell them better mental health policy is to move young people to facilities closer to their families.

“It is just not our policy to build a replacement Barrett Centre because we think there are better mental care options,” he said.

The spokesman - who was unaware of the suicides - said he would ask the department to investigate the type of care offered to the two young people after the Barrett Centre closed.

However Talieha’s aunt, Melinda, said Queensland parents need an urgent investigation into why a teenager with a history of self-harm could go from “24/7” care at the Barrett Adolescent Centre to “independent living” at the Pine Rivers Community Care.

Melinda has written to Premier Campbell Newman and Health Minister Lawrence Springborg asking for an inquiry.

Melinda said the clinical director of the mental health facility at the Prince Charles Hospital told the family at a meeting on May 16 that the Pine River Community Care was “the best option out of a list of bad options.”

Staff also told the family Taleiha should have been transitioned from the Barrett Centre to the Pine Rivers Community Care centre over six months, not over two short visits.

“We definitely want an inquiry, not only for our family and for Talieha, but for all the other kids in Queensland that have mental health problems,” she said.

Melinda said the family was not completely happy with the care at the Barrett Centre, but said the 24/7 care had kept her alive.

“They kept her alive and she was there for three years,” she said.

“So her mum wasn’t really happy with her there, but at the end of the day they did keep her alive.”

Melinda said Talieha was given just two short visits to the Pine River Community Care before they moved her from the Barrett Centre.

“They promised her she would have six weeks of 24/7 care – that’s 24 hours a day care - and that lasted about two weeks,” Melinda said.

“So she went from the Barrett Centre – which is like a hospital with 24-hour care with nurses on staff - to independent living.

“She was living by herself in a little unit within the Pine Rivers Community Care centre.”

“So she spent three years in a hospital-type accommodation – I mean she was still a teenager at heart – she hadn’t learnt all the everyday things you need to live by yourself.”

Melinda said Talieha was a “selfie queen”, who adored her younger cousins and loved drawing, dancing, music and videos.

“My kids are 8, 6 and 4. And she was the best big cousin they could ever have.”

“Ninety per cent of her was this happy, vibrant, loving, very, very caring person.

“And that is why I am doing this. It will never ever bring her back but she would hate us if we did not fight for the rest of the kids with problems.”

“She was absolutely gorgeous.”

Former staff at the Barrett Centre are devastated to learn of the two suicides.

They insist the LNP made a mistake by not keeping the centre – inside the grounds of The Park adult mental health facility at Wacol - open until a replacement centre could be built.

“They did not just get moved,” one staff member told Fairfax Media yesterday.

“They got dumped. That was the day they both got dumped.”

“We never expected the first one to come and then the second one comes,” the staff member said.

“And here’s two kids, just turned 18 - who six months ago where in full-time care – who have found themselves trying to look after themselves with severe mental health issues.”

The government spent the first 12 months of its time in office investigating alternative care for patients for the former Barrett Centre, before deciding to close it in January 2014.

Support is available for anyone who may be distressed by calling Lifeline 131 114, Mensline 1300 789 978, Kids Helpline 1800 551 800.

* Fairfax Media has not published Talieha's surname at the request of her family.

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